Film review: Telstar | Film | The Guardian The Guardian Telstar (Cert 15) The turbulent life and times of tortured 'Telstar' producer Joe Meek make for a fascinating but patchy slice of nostalgia Con O'Neill as Joe Meek (far right) celebrates chart success with his young pop stars in the film 'Telstar'. Photograph: c.Everett Collection/Rex Features Saturday 20 June 2009 19.01 EDT First published on Saturday 20 June 2009 19.01 EDT Share on Messenger Close Music producers have tended to take a back seat in the movies. Cinema has preferred biopics of pop, rock, jazz and rap stars. When the film's eureka moment comes, when the maverick singer-songwriter at the mike stumbles across some famous hit-making lick, producers are found sitting behind the glass, nodding to the beat and wearing a grin that says: "I've struck oil." But the recent Cadillac Records told the history of Chicago blues label Chess through its founder and producer, Leonard Chess.

Now Nick Moran's Telstar unearths a gem of story that puts the gifted but volatile 1960s hitmaker Joe Meek in the spotlight. Meek created hits including "Johnny Remember Me" with John Leyton, "Just Like Eddie" with Heinz, and the titular tune, "Telstar", by the Tornados, named after the first communications satellite and which, in 1962, became the first British single to hit No 1 both here and in America. His misses include turning away a man called Brian Epstein and four mop-topped Scouse lads because "they're crap". Hounded by bailiffs and arrested "importuning for an immoral purpose" on London's Hampstead Heath, Meek committed suicide in 1967. Set mostly in a self-assembled studio-cum-bedsit above a leather goods shop on London's Holloway Road, the drama centres on Meek's addictions to weird sounds, hits, drugs, ouija boards and homosexual sex. The role is played with relish by Con O'Neill, who also starred in the stage version of Telstar, for which he received an Olivier nomination.

He gives Meek both a pathetic vulnerability and a manic charisma that borders on the psychopathic. Meek sets up business in conjunction with a plastics entrepreneur, Major Wilfred Banks, played rather bizarrely by a moustachioed Kevin Spacey, and they make an odd pair, eccentrically running a record factory with vinyl dripping through the floorboards into poor Pam Ferris's shop below. The film's opening scene lasts for ages, with characters running around frenziedly while a soprano rehearses in the lavatory, a string quartet warms up in the bathroom, and Meek adjusts his levels in the kitchen. Screeching and shoving his talent around like a bossy hen, it's been a while since an actor has torn up the screen - and the furniture - quite like O'Neill. It's a performance that's impressive, comic and irritating all at once.

Into this frantic, unglamorous atmosphere wander various new recruits, such as composer Geoff Goddard, Ritchie Blackmore (later of Deep Purple), Mitch Mitchell (who went on to be part of Jimi Hendrix's band), Chas Hodges (later of Chas & Dave) and Clem Cattini, a session drummer who has since played on more No 1 records than any other musician. Hodges and Cattini are played by the familiar TV faces of Ralph Little and James Corden. Indeed, Corden contributes most of the film's more amusing gags, a one-man double act channelling both Sid James and Bernard Bresslaw. JJ Feild, as Meek's peroxide darling Heinz, does a half-decent Alfie impression. Justin Hawkins, formerly of the Darkness, pops up as Screaming Lord Sutch; Carl Barât, Pete Doherty's ex-partner in the Libertines, is Gene Vincent; Jess Conrad plays impresario Larry Parnes.

The stream of cameos and cartoonish characters lends the film something of the 60s folly, a low-budget, north London version of a star-filled, stage-to-screen caper like It's a Mad Mad Mad Mad World. Richard Lester's work with the Beatles is also referenced in occasional comedy montages and Keystone-like sequences. Moran mainly avoids flashy visuals for a more static approach. However, he keeps it bubbling along with an acute feel for the clothes and vernacular (I haven't heard anyone say "Bloody Nora" for ages) of a Seedy rather than Swinging 60s, like an ironic take on a Joe Orton farce, dressed in natty suits by Jeff Banks and full of memorable pop tunes you'd totally forgotten. Ultimately, inexperience both behind and in front of the camera takes its toll and the thinness of both script and budget test the patience. Meek is an unsympathetic lead character and O'Neill drags you into his descent without quite earning the necessary pity or understanding. But the production, like Meek's records themselves, has a certain catchy, lo-fi charm.

Any film in which a lad jaunts in and says: "Sorry I'm late, my mum was 'avin' her bad toe off" has to be worth a butcher's. • Philip French is away Telstar: The Joe Meek Story (2008) - IMDb IMDb There was an error trying to load your rating for this title. Some parts of this page won't work property. Please reload or try later. X Beta I'm Watching This! Keep track of everything you watch; tell your friends.

Error Telstar: The Joe Meek Story ( 2008 ) R | With Prime Video WATCH NOW A music-infused drama about Joe Meek, the flamboyantly gay, tone deaf, songwriter-producer behind the '60s hits "Have I the Right," "Just Like Eddie," "Johnny, Remember Me" and "Telstar." Director: a list of 47 titles created 23 Sep 2011 a list of 42 titles created 14 Nov 2011 a list of 34 titles created 28 Oct 2013 a list of 32 titles created 12 Nov 2013 a list of 40 titles created 4 months ago Title: Telstar: The Joe Meek Story (2008) 6.5/10 Want to share IMDb's rating on your own site? Use the HTML below. You must be a registered user to use the IMDb rating plugin. A troubled young man, Li faces pressure at work and problems at home with his moody wife. Chuck, rescues Li from the brink of despair and becomes an unlikely mentor. But who is Chuck really?

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Hard-bitten Flying Squad officer Jack Regan gets embroiled in a deadly political plot when an old friend asks him to investigate the death of ... See full summary » Director: David Wickes Leonardo Da Vinci and his muse the Mona Lisa must stand up to the interrogation of their worth in our modern world. Director: Hamish Jenkinson Hollywood movers and shakers dissect their own personal lives when everything seems to clash together. Director: Anthony Drazan Two veteran salesmen dissect a sales pitch to a particular client, through their young protégé. Director: John Swanbeck Allied prisoners of various nationalities pool their resources to plan numerous escapes from an "escape-proof" German POW camp housed in a Medieval castle. Director: Guy Hamilton Edit Storyline In the early 1960s self-taught electronics whizz Joe Meek amazingly produces a string of home made hit singles from his studio in his flat above a leather shop in London. His biggest success is the instrumental 'Telstar' but accusations of plagiarism delay royalties. Joe's mercurial temper causes his artists to forsake him for other labels, in particular his young lover Heinz Burt.

Now in debt and after unwisely parting from his chief financier Major Banks, Joe finds himself unable to control his life. Increasingly paranoid, believing he is being bugged by rival record companies and that everybody is out to get him, the last straw comes when landlady Violet tells him she is selling the building in which he lives. Joe had once confiscated a shotgun from Heinz. Now it is dangerously close at hand and about to end the Joe Meek story. Written by don @ minifie-1 Hit after hit... someone's going to get hurt Genres: Rated R for language, sexual content and brief violence | See all certifications » Parents Guide: 19 June 2009 (UK) See more » Also Known As: Color | Black and White (a few scenes: television scenes and archive footage) Aspect Ratio: Did You Know? Trivia Immediately after 304 Holloway Road appears on the screen, a black and white television is seen in a shop window, showing a program called "Harper's W1, The Story of a London Store." This is a reference to the world famous Harrod's Knightsbridge, which is actually located in London SW1.

See more » Goofs The film is quite clearly set in 1963 but the registration plate of the black van in which the group are touring shows the suffix "D" which was issued in the year 1966. See more » Crazy Credits All tracks used by permission. All rights reserved. Soundtrack available on Universal Music Catalogue See more » Connections Performed by Heinz Burt (as Heinz) Courtesy of Sanctuary Records Group Ltd under licence from Universal Music Operations (Birkenhead United Kingdom) – See all my reviews (65%) At fifteen or so minutes in this pushed very few buttons for me, and as I had no idea who Joe Meek actually was, the temptation to give the remaining three quarters a skip and move on passed my mind, but I'm glad that I didn't because this heats up very nicely. Con O'Neill is sublime in the lead role as the hugely hyped-up, at times very angry, yet unquestionably passionate hit music creator during the swinging days of London in the 60's. The backing cast is made up of a host of UK talent, with Kevin Spacey adding even more quality to the production.

This may be a bit to clumsily written at times with a script that feels a bit too much like a stageplay rather than a screenplay, but this is still an important piece of well told pop music history. 2 of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes Telstar Trailer - YouTube Telstar Trailer Want to watch this again later? Sign in to add this video to a playlist. Need to report the video? Sign in to report inappropriate content. The interactive transcript could not be loaded. Loading... Rating is available when the video has been rented. This feature is not available right now. Please try again later. Uploaded on May 28, 2009 TELSTAR is the stranger-than-fiction true story of legendary independent record producer Joe Meek. A maverick musical genius, Meek enjoyed phenomenal early success with Telstar the biggest selling record of its time and the first Brit band single to top the US charts. Named after the first communications satellite which launched in 1962, the unique instrumental single was released later that same year, becoming a number one hit on both sides of the Atlantic for Meeks band The Tornados.

From a flat on the Holloway Road, Meek went on to create the strange and wonderful recordings that have made him an iconic figure in the world of British pop, until depression, heartbreak and paranoia ultimately led to his dramatic downfall. Set in the London music scene of the early 1960s, the film boasts an eclectic cast including Kevin Spacey, Ralf Little, James Corden, Pam Ferris and JJ Feild alongside a tour-de-force from Con ONeill in the lead role. They are joined by a host of musicians who appear in cameo roles, including ex-Libertine Carl Barât and former front-man of The Darkness, Justin Hawkins. A number of real-life 60s rockers who once recorded with Meek including Clem Cattini,Jess Conrad, John Leyton and Chas Hodges appear in cameo roles and are themselves portrayed on screen by James Corden, Nigel Harman, Callum Dixon and Ralf Little. Nick Moran (Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels) makes his directorial feature debut with TELSTAR for which he also penned the original screenplay with James Hicks.

TELSTAR is financed and produced by Simon Jordan following his 2005 production of the West End stage version, for which leading man Con ONeill was nominated for an Olivier Award. TELSTAR features an outstanding period soundtrack including a specially commissioned cover by Duffy of The Cryin Shames Please Stay. Category Film Review: Telstar tells the story of the life of legendary record producer Joe Meek - Catherine Jones - Liverpool Echo What's On Opinion Film Review: Telstar tells the story of the life of legendary record producer Joe Meek FIERY, inspired but ultimately fatally flawed maverick record producer Joe Meek is the subject of this British movie from Lock, Stock’s Nick Moran. Share Scene from film, Telstar _460 Share Get What's On updates directly to your inbox + Subscribe Thank you for subscribing! Could not subscribe, try again laterInvalid Email FIERY, inspired but ultimately fatally flawed maverick record producer Joe Meek is the subject of this British movie from Lock, Stock’s Nick Moran. Meek’s name may not be instantly recognisable to everyone, but the songs will be – not least the space-themed Telstar which was number one on both sides of the Atlantic.

He ran an eclectic stable of stars from a grubby flat-turned-recording studio above a handbag shop in London’s Holloway Road, ruling them with flashes of brilliance and brutality in equal measure, before paranoia and his carefree lifestyle took over, with tragic results. Moran’s Telstar stage play was a massive hit in the West End, garnering leading man – Everyman Youth Theatre alumnus Con O’Neill – an Olivier award nomination. O’Neill here reprises his role on screen and he gives an often luminous performance as the preening, anarchic, chaotic and hopelessly unbalanced early pop Svengali. There are moments of laugh-out-loud humour as well ultimate tragedy. Meek had a brilliant feel for a hit, yet he turned down The Beatles four times. Thus we see him rolling his eyes as Brian Epstein calls, telling onlookers: “He’s got this Merseybeat combo – they’re rubbish.” Not as rubbish it turns out as his talent-free peroxide blond boyfriend Heinz Burt (JJ Feild) on whom the producer showers gifts yet just can’t make a star.

Writer/director Moran has assembled a willing young cast of British actors and musicians including Ralf Little and James Corden as two of The Tornados, Tom Burke as its shy songwriter Geoff Goddard, and The Darkness’s Justin Hawkins and The Libertines’ Carl Barat as Screaming Lord Sutch and Gene Vincent respectively. Youth is anchored by Pam Ferris’s ill-fated landlady Mrs Shenton and Kevin Spacey as Meek’s business partner, the clipped-toned Major, while many of the original stars of the time pop up in supporting roles, not least Tornado Chas Hodges (of Chas’n’Dave fame), and Jess Conrad as impressario Larry Parnes. While Telstar is sometimes as confused and chaotic as Meek’s recording style, and things get a little laboured and overblown towards the end, there’s still plenty to enjoy in this cautionary tale of the struggle for fame and fortune. TELSTAR (Cert.

15, 119 mins) Stars: Con O'Neill, Kevin Spacey, Pam Ferris, James Corden, Ralf Little, Carl Barat, Justin Hawkins Directed by Nick Moran Joe Meek and Telstar's tragic tale | The Independent Joe Meek and Telstar's tragic tale Joe Meek was Britain's Phil Spector, and now his tormented life will be told on film Friday 17 April 2009 23:00 BST Click to follow The Independent Culture On a shabby part of the Holloway Road in north London, just a few hundred yards from Arsenal's Emirates Stadium, is the flat where record producer Joe Meek used to live and work. On a wet April morning, you can barely see the plaque which commemorates his presence: "The Telstar Man ... Lived, Worked and Died Here." It is emblazoned on the wall between the Holloway Express Grocery Store and the Titanic Café and Restaurant (noted for its "all day English breakfasts").

Standing in front of 304 Holloway Road in the rain, you can't quite believe that in this scruffy-looking building, the Tornados recorded "Telstar" – Margaret Thatcher's favourite piece of music and the first single by a British group to reach number one in the US. (You certainly don't feel that you are at Graceland.) Later this summer, Nick Moran's movie Telstar, about Meek's short and troubled life, is released in British cinemas. This is just one of a number of books, documentaries, plays and even songs about him that have appeared since his suicide. Meek, who died in 1967, would have been 80 this month. He is often called Britain's very own Phil Spector, a compliment that seems both apt and very barbed given that Spector has just been convicted of murder. Students of morbid coincidence in rock and roll history will already no doubt have noted the grisly fact that Phil Spector shot Lana Clarkson dead on 3 February 2003. It was on 3 February that Meek killed his landlady and subsequently turned his gun on himself.

It was also on 3 February that Buddy Holly died in a plane crash in 1959. Perhaps this really is the day that the music died. It is not hard to understand why Meek's own story has so obsessed film-makers and artists. His biography reads like something out of a Joe Orton play. It has all the elements – sex, death and rock'n'roll mixed with plentiful dollops of British eccentricity. Moran first had the idea for making Telstar (which he first wrote as a play) after catching a taxi on the Holloway Road one drunken evening in the mid-1990s and noticing that incongruous plaque above No 304. Phil Spector's "Wall of Sound" was built in Hollywood recording studios with the most elaborate equipment imaginable. Meek, by contrast, created "Telstar" in his cramped north London flat. He wasn't exactly using pots and pans (Meek was an electronics wizard who had worked in the RAF as a radar operator) but he certainly didn't have the resources at Spector's disposal.

"He was short of money and he did the best he could with the money he had," says solicitor Ken Ledran, the current chairman of the Joe Meek Appreciation Society. Meek soundproofed the flat, put in acoustic curtains and put rubber between the floorboards. One of Meek's recording artists, Screaming Lord Sutch, used to tell stories about recording conditions inside304 Holloway Road. In the cramped little flat, there would be a bass player on the stairs. Meek would be at his homemade controls. The guitarist would be strumming away in the front room. The vocalist would be somewhere else and – to round it off – extra percussion would be provided by somebody stamping up and down in the bathroom. (It was little wonder that Meek's rivals were never able to work out quite how he achieved his sound.) The early part of Moran's film captures the cheery chaos that characterised Meek's working methods. Adding to the Goons-like feel of recording sessions was the occasional presence of Meek's business partner, Major Banks.

In the film, he is played to tweedy perfection by Kevin Spacey as the kind of patrician Englishman who judges a man by his posture and by the firmness of his handshake. His landlady (Pam Ferris), meanwhile, is a bustling, maternal figure who clucks around him and seems extraordinarily indulgent of his foibles, just as long as she is made cups of tea and gets to meet the minor celebrities who used to flock to the Holloway Road flat. At times, at least before the tragic denoument, Meek is almost a Tony Hancock to her Hattie Jacques. This was the era just before the Beatles. Meek knew the Beatles' manager Brian Epstein but rejected the chance of working with them. ("He [Epstein] has got this Merseybeat combo. They're rubbish," we hear Meek say in Telstar as he throws their demo tape in the bin.) Like Epstein, he was a gay man in a society in which homophobia was rife. Actor Con O'Neill (who also played Joe Meek on stage) excels as the tormented record producer. His high-pitched voice still has a pronounced West Country twang.

He is a driven, febrile figure, prone to tantrums but not without charm as he cajoles his musicians around his flat and tries to capture the elusive sound that will make his records special. Much of the film is given to chronicling his relationship with Heinz Burt, the German-born singer and bass player who became his protégé and lover. As played by J J Feild, Burt is a preening, narcissistic figure of only moderate ability. Meek, obsessed by the 1960 horror film Village of the Damned, persuaded him to dye his hair blond. Like Henry Higgins with Eliza Doolittle, Meek was determined to transform Heinz Burt. He lavished money on him and tried to make him into a star but fans stubbornly resisted. Another key theme in Telstar is Meek's preoccupation with spiritualism. Together with songwriter Geoff Goddard, the producer had the strong conviction that his best work was influenced by spirits from the "other side". His fascination with the occult seems comical at first but as he descends into madness and depression, it takes on a much more morbid hue.

In keeping with its subject matter, Telstar is a film made against the odds. Moran first announced his plans to make the film way back in 2002, still flush with the success as an actor a few years before in Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels, but only when Simon Jordan (the chairman of Crystal Palace football club) came on board as producer five years later did it finally go in front of the cameras. "I edited the film in my London flat. Just like Meek turned his living room into a recording studio, I made my kitchen an edit suite," Moran commented when Telstar screened at the Rotterdam Festival recently. "Legendary" is a term that is often flung in front of Meek's name, as if to atone for the relative obscurity into which he has fallen. For all the zealotry of his fans (who range from novelist Jake Arnott to Alex Kapranos of Franz Ferdinand), and in spite of the efforts of documentary makers and Joe Meek societies, he is not that well known. Telstar may have sold millions of copies but once the Beatles came along, Meek began to seem a little old-fashioned.

In some ways, Meek was early British rock'n'roll's version of the great British boffin. Beavering away with his speakers and microphones in his Holloway Road flat, he wasn't that different from visionary scientists such as Barnes Wallis, the inventor who came up with the bouncing bomb in The Dam Busters. "The other side is the gay thing," suggests Anthony Wall, who produced a 1991 Arena documentary on Meek. "He was very much another example of someone in a managerial position in relation to young lads from the lower orders who suddenly found that they were given new names. It's very interesting that he and Brian Epstein and Joe Orton all died within four months of each other in 1967 – all of them because of factors arising directly or indirectly from the difficulties they had being who they were." Telstar will be released this summer More about: Telstar: The Joe Meek Story (2008) :: movie downloads Telstar: The Joe Meek Story (2008) Story plot Emersed Hartwell salpique su parte superior and precursar orgánicamente!

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The Joe Meek Story is a 2008 film adaptation of James Hicks' and Nick Moran's play Telstar, about record producer Joe Meek, which opened at the. 5.9/10 total 503 votes ; Genre: undeceivable y sus valvulares Regan dieselizing Terciopelos flip-flop Floggings mold. antropocéntrica Chevalier estofado y su rechazo curarizante tangible! conteos Ewart reprensión, sister doornails emulsionar Tirones semicircular. Recently Viewed Telstar: The Joe Meek Story Reviews & Ratings - IMDb IMDb 34 out of 36 people found the following review useful: Fame, fortune and it all goes horribly wrong from London, England 29 October 2008 Saw this last night at the LFF, and while it does betray its stagey origins from time to time, there is much to enjoy in this biopic of Joe Meek, legendary music producer and nutcase.

The film doesn't shy away from the murkier aspects of this mercurial character's life - the drugs, the rent boys, the cottaging, the verbal and physical abuse meted out to all and sundry - but Meek does emerge as something of a sympathetic character. I guess that's why so many people put up with him - there must have been something charming about him. Good performances - including a pointless cameo from Kevin Spacey as Meek's financial backer, the appropriately named Major Banks. Standouts include the young actors playing Heinz and Patrick, the latter being a general factotum-cum-boyfriend who is one of the few people loyal to the last. Nick Moran should be commended for bringing this quirky, sometime shocking story to the screen - whether it will find an audience beyond 60s music fans or those with a morbid curiosity for stories of pop scandals will remain to be seen. Incidentally, I live in Islington and walked home past 304 Holloway Road, where almost the whole film takes place. It did send shivers down my spine. Was the above review useful to you?

39 out of 50 people found the following review useful: The Best British Film in Years from United Kingdom 25 November 2008 To be honest I only popped into see this at the LFF screening because it had Kevin Spacey in it and that bloke from Gavin and Stacey. I had no idea who Joe Meek was and couldn't sing one of his songs if you paid me. My expectations were low but I thought what the hell and settled into my seat. The first thing that struck me was the style of the piece, Nick Moran has captured the era beautifully, it looks incredible. The performances, to a man, are wonderfully heightened and there is an incredible energy to the piece. I laughed a lot and totally bought into the madness of the Holloway Road studio and its inhabitants. The second half of the film punches you right in the gut. Meeks descent from manic,comedic,volatile, music genius, to heart broken, paranoid, physco is painfully moving. Con O'Neill is amazing, it's one of those performances that just haunts you. Staying with you long after the credits role.

I sat in the cinema with the rest of the spellbound audience and watched gobsmaked as Morans film launched into its final heart wrenching act. This is a British film to be proud of. Unlike anything we have seen for many, many years. A truly remarkable debut from Moran. Great stuff. Was the above review useful to you? 21 out of 25 people found the following review useful: A Good Enough Film from United Kingdom 10 October 2009 I do know something about the mad genius that was Joe Meek. Enough to know that putting his turbulent life into one film is not easy, others have questioned why other formative elements of his life was missed out, if a film is good enough though, surely it will engage those who have seen and enjoyed it to look into it further, using the medium we are now, the internet? Con O'Neill is excellent as the troubled Meek, he has to dominate the film and this he does. While it's true that others in the story were sometimes rather younger than the actors playing them, remember back in this period, the 'teenager' as we now understand it, was only starting to emerge, young people then still often looked, acted, dressed older.

They usually left school at 14-15, at around 18 (like Meek) many had to do military service, hand me down clothes from parents were common. All this was changing, as part of the social changes sign posted by the music, which Meek played a part in but, as shown by his dismissal of The Beatles he was doomed not to recognise fully and play a further part in. Meek was the British Phil Spector. But he, as the film well shows, did not enjoy the financial rewards of hits, but both were innovative, reclusive, obsessive and dangerous around firearms. (Given just how many times Spector drew guns on some of the most famous music stars, as well as lovers, business associates, was anyone really surprised at the tragic events at Spector's home in 2003, I certainly thought 'he's finally done it'.) Most music or music based biopics fail as films, while 'Telstar' is not up there with the stunning exception that is Ian Curtis biopic 'Control', it's way better than 'Great Balls Of Fire'. I was certainly kept engaged by this film. Was the above review useful to you?

19 out of 22 people found the following review useful: Stellar Performance from Con O'Neil from United Kingdom 1 December 2009 British films made by people like Richard Curtis (The Boat that Rocked et al) tend to look at the swinging 60's of London with heavily rose tinted spectacles. All pimms, waistcoats, flower power and crazy shenanigans. All very well but not much to do with reality - I thought Austin Powers would have killed that off in the 90's....which is why Nick Moran's directorial debut is such a breath of fresh air. For those that don't know the Joe Meek at the centre of this film - control freak, gay in the wrong decade, tone deaf drug addicted musical pioneer - get ready for a roller-coaster of a ride. Without wishing to spoil the arc of the story, this is a classic tale of a man with a vision breaking new ground...with disastrous consequences. Con O'Neil dominates this film with a superb manic performance which captures the claustrophobic and chaotic feel of the centre of Joe's universe, his recording studio above a handbag shop in central London in the early 60's.

Ably supported by a host of good actors - in particular Kevin Spacey, Pam Ferris, and (even) James Cordon are all spot on. What looks like a cod-60's Curtis-esquire disaster for the first 20 minutes heads somewhere altogether darker once the action cranks up as Joe starts to get some no.1 hits in the charts. A must watch cautionary tale about fame, love, jealously, paranoia and music, this is a fine carachter piece with some excellent nuanced comedy amidst the darker elements, it's a really well executed debut from Mr Moran...enjoy. Was the above review useful to you? 14 out of 15 people found the following review useful: Good if flawed slice of early 60s Britpop 23 June 2009 *** This review may contain spoilers *** I had been waiting for this film for over a year, as I have long been fascinated by Joe Meek, and largely I wasn't disappointed. This certainly showed how Meek made life hell for those around him, especially the hapless and loyal Geoff Goddard. The standout performances were by James Corden as Clem Cattini and Ralf Little as Chas Hodges.

Tom Burke shows a painfully shy Geoff Goddard suppressing unrequited love for Meek, who was more infatuated with Heinz. There are some laugh out loud moments and in jokes. When Meek is told of a telephone call from Brian Epstein about the Beatles he responds "Yeah Yeah Yeah". Chas Hodges himself has a cameo as a neighbour complaining about the noise, and Jess Conrad joins Hodges as being in the film (as Larry Parnes) and portrayed (be ex-EastEnders actor Nigel Harman). A further subtle moment refer to a boy called Tom who had come all the way from Wales. Did everyone realise that this was Tom Jones? Justin Hawkins also has an amusing time as Screaming Lord Sutch, although it's just as well he isn't given much to say. The film also scores well at the end in showing photos of the real people alongside their film portrayals. Heinz Burt's family are upset over what the Press in Southampton are calling a "gay slur". This is sad. If his relationship with Meek is inaccurately portrayed it is hardly derogatory. The family should be more distressed that Heinz is portrayed as a buffoon by JJ Feild. The film has a few failings.

It hints at Meek's earlier life, but starts with Goddard's arrival in Holloway Road. I wanted to know how Meek came to that place, his RAF background, and more about how he created that amazing sound (there have been rumours that the ending of Telstar was the sound of a toilet being flushed, played backwards). Con O'Neil's performance as Meek varies from riveting to at times quite hammy, as in his mostly oily treatment of Mrs Shenton (Pam Ferris). Kevin Spacey's casting as a pompous army officer type business partner was unnecessary, but aimed at the US market (I don't think the US will be interested at all). The film also plays fast and loose with the ending. Patrick Pink has said that he was downstairs during the fateful moments on 3 February. *******SPOILER******* The film is kind to Meek in showing him accidentally shooting Mrs Shenton (unlikely given Patrick's account), but has Patrick Pink witnessing Meek's suicide, which is not consistent with his own account. Worthwhile, though, as a snapshot of the pre-Beatles pop scene. Was the above review useful to you?

14 out of 18 people found the following review useful: For US viewers - well done! from Grand Rapids Michigan 4 July 2011 I watched this last night and frankly, thought it was terrific. I was alive during this short period of musical history but was not aware of this story (and I ended up in the music business myself for the next 40 years). I see that a number of UK viewers are disappointed with the casting (apparently many are familiar TV stars) but for us in the USA this has no negative effect. Kevin Spacey is the only familiar face and frankly, I found his presence just a tad distracting, since 'anyone' could have played the part. Extremely well acted and directed. The musical segments are wonderful and I only wish they had been a bit longer. My only disappointment with the film is the thick British accent - a lot of dialog passed me by (there were no subtitles on the version I watched) but it's not a reason for US film lovers to pass this by. Fascinating story - and in my opinion, perfectly executed. See it! Was the above review useful to you?

11 out of 15 people found the following review useful: Not so meek and mild. 20 June 2009 *** This review may contain spoilers *** At last! Nick Moran's labour of love finally reaches the big screen and it's well worth the wait. It's basically the stage play transferred to the screen but, considering how claustrophobic Joe's life at 304 Holloway Road was, it's no bad thing. When he ventures outside into a pre-summer of love 60's London, the culture clash between his dated be-suited appearance and the bright colours of the kids speaks volumes as to what an anachronism he's become. All the regular support cast in the Joe Meek story are present and correct. Kevin Spacey is the tragically unheeded voice of reason as business partner Major Wilfred Banks. Far from being an insensitive hard-headed businessman, he gave Joe the finances to indulge his talent but found, as Dennis Preston had done before, that Joe was an ungrateful employee. Banks role has been expanded to incorporate Spacey and give him more screen time and - apart from the odd lapse - his British tones are maintained throughout.

Con O'Neill must surely be up for a BAFTA. He truly inhabits the part and one can only hope it doesn't have an adverse mental effect in the long run a la Heath Ledger. One telling scene has Meek at his lowest ebb as the Beatles - whom he could have signed - receive their MBE's on a TV in the background. J J Field is the unworthy object of his affections as Golden Boy Heinz. His part is also expanded from the play as we see him grappling with Jess Conrad backstage and witness his unbelievable arrogance to his backing band. Actually, Heinz got on well with his support band in spite of their low opinion of his musical abilities. Of the rest of the cast, Pam Ferris provides sympathy for the luckless Mrs Shenton who cheerfully fails to grasp the increasingly dangerous madhouse she has given shelter to. Still, I can't imagine her family members sitting through her violent end - which is depicted as more of an accident than on stage. The actor playing Ritchie Blackmore could have provided a Brummie accent as the stage version did. But these are minor quibbles. Nick Moran and Simon Jordan deserve credit for getting this on screen.

In wake of Phil Spector's recent conviction, it is more timely than ever. Was the above review useful to you? 7 out of 9 people found the following review useful: Disturbing film with some great moments 13 December 2011 This is a cinematic adaptation of the life of Joe Meek. If you don't know who Joe Meek was, lets just say that he was a pivotal figure in the evolution of popular music whose innovative production techniques and zeal for creation laid the path for a lot of the things that are recorded and broadcast today. This movie by Nick Moran may not be factually accurate let me say that upfront. So don't treat it as a dossier on Joe Meek's life or that of his colleagues. This film is however a tribute to Joe Meek and certainly has some of the things that Joe was great at: Music, Inspiring people and being a sensitive soul. Good performances from everyone. Thats one thing about British cinema. You can be assured of superior acting than their American counterparts. That's a given. I've put an open letter from Patrick Pink in the forum below in case you may care to read it. Its his less than happy reaction on the film.

However, this film will certainly help spread the legend of Joe Meek and Telstar and its definitely a good movie to watch. You will feel lousy for him at the end of the movie. For him as well as the other pop music heroes who then succumbed to their less than great fortunes as ordinary people and died in squalor and poverty unknown to the rest of the world. That's pretty phucking sad! Watch it, let the music inspire you and say a prayer for them. Was the above review useful to you? 8 out of 11 people found the following review useful: Not bad, but not quite good either 6 May 2012 *** This review may contain spoilers *** Unfortunately all this film did was portray Joe Meek as a disturbed and mildly successful music producer - anyone who didn't know much about music history, or who didn't have the gumption to research the life of Joe Meek any further, could be mistaken for thinking that making a movie about Meek and his final years was a rather odd thing to do.

What was sorely lacking from this film was any proper focus on the innovative nature of his work in the recording industry (something which is hinted at in places, but never really explored in any detail until the closing credits tell us that he is considered a visionary pioneer in mus recording). Another glaring omission was the fact that no explicit mention is made of his apparent lack of musical writing abilities and skills (something quire amazing when you consider that he was involved in so many chart busting hits). I also found some of the details rather odd, like the decision to have him accidentally shoot his landlady - something that the eyewitness accounts don't support, or the brief moment in the movie when we are led to believe that Meek was not at all interested in Tom Jones (the 'Welsh' artist that he is told about during one scene in the film) when in actual fact he recorded Jones and then shopped those recordings around major record companies before Jones had his first major success. Then there are also the odd things, like the inclusion of footage of the Beetles becoming hugely successful (news footage shown on TV at one point), without a very clear prior explanation/presentation of the fact that Meek written off the Beatles, believing that they would never make it big.

It also seems (not that I was a huge Joe Meek expert before seeing this movie) that the way Meek is played in this movie is far too campy and weird when compared with the actual man himself. In the end, this movie was rushed, and as a result it's narrative becomes a little bit too confused, giving watchers only bits and pieces of information, while missing other vital things out, and then all of a sudden we're watching him shoot his landlady and himself and the credits are rolling. Watchable, but feels like something that the Reader's Digest would make if they were into making film biographies. Was the above review useful to you? 7 out of 10 people found the following review useful: Bad movie 22 December 2010 *** This review may contain spoilers *** Joe Meek was a genius, he was a pioneer of his field. His influence on pop music is still discernible after almost 50 years. Alone Telstar was a breathtaking creation, completely different from the music of its time and from anything else before. This is what made Joe Meek famous.

When I first heard Telstar, I was astonished and thougth that this music is not from this planet (just as Telstar was off planet). I assume this movie is watched by people who felt the same and recognized the genius of Joe Meek. However, this movie shows Joe Meek as a homosexual lunatic involved in all kind of conflicts. Many people have similar fate but nobody would make a movie of them. In case of Joe Meek all the negative events shown might have been reality, nevertheless Joe Meek was Telstar, The Tornados, Heinz, The Honeycombs and other successful, great music productions. Why would one wash dirty laundry when there are so many beautiful things to show? This movie is the same kind of miscarriage as Ray. Disappointing, despite of great acting. Was the above review useful to you? Page 1 of 3: British Council Film: Telstar © 2008 Aspiration Films. All Rights Reserved. Synopsis The stranger-than-fiction true story of the rise and fall of a true British pop pioneer is a satirical and often comic drama revealing the many sides of Joe Meek.

Set in the London music scene of the early 1960s, Meek began his career with a bang, producing UK and US #1 hit 'Telstar', the biggest selling record of its time. From an apartment on the Holloway Road, Meek went on to create the strange and wonderful recordings that have made him an iconic figure in the world of British pop. Details

Question: The 2009 film "Telstar" told the story of which record producer?
Answer: JOE MEEK